Change in the air(waves).

Last September, news reports predicted the influx of traditional advertising would highlight the upcoming political campaign. Sadly, they were right. Politicians are pretty interesting idiots sometimes. They operate knowing full well that voters rejected the status quo two years ago. They ignored that voters crave engaging messages in the places they are engaged.

Except for one – the one boldly energizing the country with change. Obama.

I’m not sure I’m an Obama believer. I don’t see incredible dimension or brilliant legislation ticking behind his words. I try to remove myself from the media hysteria surrounding “firsts”. But, damn, it’s hard to ignore his passion. He believes it at his core. He seeds that passion in speeches, communications and his younger voter base. Because it feels authentic. And rallying around a passionate cry for change just feels right.

On Saturday, I sent a text message to 62262 (OBAMA). A text titled HOPE. A text fired back immediately, welcoming me to the campaign and asking for my zip code. Another few seconds later I had updates and alerts about upcoming events in the days leading up to the Virginia primary. On Sunday, I received a news alert about Obama’s Maine victory. Mobile seems like a brilliant way to mobilize a text-drive nation of younger voters. Maybe, just maybe, he really understands his base.

Pundits and politicos continue to talk about the young voter explosion in Obama’s favor. For media analysts, this shouldn’t be such a surprise. He has the right message and he hits the right spots. He knows his audience and where media hits them. Unlike his competitors, he understands the complex web of touch points surrounding this hugely untapped and often ignored audience – one that can seize control of the electorate.

McCain, bowing to traditional tactics, has video and blog capabilities on his site. Romney employs YouTube, Facebook, Myspace and limited mobile messaging. And Hillary virtually copies Romney’s initiatives. What makes Obama different? With them, these tactics are add-ons talking to, not with voters. With him, though, it’s an authentic conversation, designed to unite and share.

McCain, Huckabee, Clinton and Romney (in his last days) revert to online video and television commercials to drive the vote. But Obama is, as his site says, everywhere. He’s online and off-line. He’s in print; he’s on TV. He’s on BlackPlanet.com, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, Glee and more. And he’s texting. He’s leveraging the technological world and the community-based, social networking platforms to bring people together. To ignite change. To spread the furor.

Is it any wonder he wins every caucus that physically simulates the vast online community he owns? I don’t think so.

the political machine.

and so it goes. i'm sure by the time anyone reads this, the graphic above will show its age. it's a fascinating time to watch the political process at work. especially when it appears that the youth vote might actually mobilize and vote. as opposed to previous times when the youth vote moaned and screamed, but vanished when election day arrived.

virginia holds its primary in one week. it's clear i lean democrat. it's just how i've always aligned. but this is an interesting choice between a woman i've voted for before. and a man who, damn it all, offers a vision that's incredibly hard to not follow. how odd, it seems, to finally have a choice that's not the lesser of two evils.

we'll see how things go.

the world through new eyes.

i've been relatively silent the past few days. part of that has been a deluge of work in configuring details for the tap project. part has been the onset of a new cold. and part has been the newest member of the family. my sister is amazing at having boys. but on tuesday, january 29, she welcomed a girl. her name is addyson. she has poofy cheeks! and i can only wonder what kind of world she'll encounter when she's my age. twenty-six years from now. in 2034.